Article 31 — Legal status and seat

1. The Agency shall be a body of the Union and shall have legal personality. 2. In each of the Member States, the Agency shall enjoy the most extensive legal capacity accorded to legal persons under their laws. It may, in particular, acquire and dispose of movable and immovable property and be a party to legal proceedings. 3. The Agency shall be represented by its Executive Director. 4. The seat of the Agency shall be in Lisbon, Portugal. 5. At the request of the Commission, the Management Board may decide, with the agreement of and in cooperation with the Member States concerned and with due regard to budgetary implications, including any contribution the Member States concerned may provide, to establish regional centres necessary in order to carry out, in the most efficient and effective way, some of the Agency’s tasks. When taking such a decision, the Management Board shall define the precise scope of activities of the regional centre while avoiding unnecessary financial costs and enhancing cooperation with existing regional and national networks.